The BJP/NDA government is hardly 100 days into functioning and already its non-governance related sectarian agenda have thrust themselves into limelight. The first one was the move towards 'Indianization' of education, the initiation of which was gatecrashed by RSS lumpens like DN Batra and which was mentioned in a previous post of mine.
The second one which is being discussed in this blog post is revival of rivers mentioned in Vedic/Indic texts and scriptures. This seems to perfectly fit in with the revivalist mindset and obsessions of the RSS/BJP political fraternity. So whenever they get a chance of lay their hands on political power and governance, they will dutifully get back to their on-going missions of reviving and evangelizing the various 'golden era' myths like
- Forsaken scriptures and texts
- Force feeding of Sanskrit language in select schools and educational bodies
- Retrofitting archeology, anthropology, philology and other history based studies and disciplines to serve interests of religion, mythology and sectarian Hindutva ideology where pseudo historians like NS Rajaram and Subhash Kak are pressed into service to manufacture evidence for the mythical abodes of Krishna and assorted Hindu gods and use dubious means like astrological signs to push the antiquity of Indic scriptures further back.
- Reviving the search for long lost and forgotten rivers and mountains.
This short news items on "The Hindu" titled "Work has begun to revive Saraswati: Uma" quoting Union Water Resources Minister, Ms. Uma Bharati, points to the conspiracy of associating references to science and scientific methods with their revivalist propaganda.
I am quoting below the news as mentioned in the link above. It is really tough to keep from laughing at the lengths to which BJP will go to in their pursuit of their crazy nationalistic schemes.
"The government on Tuesday said that it had already
begun work on establishing the existence of river Saraswati, which has
largely been considered “mythical” and is keen on reviving it.
Union Water Resources Minister Uma Bharti told the Lok Sabha that there
was “scientific evidence” that the Saraswati existed and more
information was being collected to revive underground water sources of
the river.
Speaking in response to a Calling
Attention Motion on the need to set up a Saraswati Research Institute
for the revival of the river, moved by BJP’s Rattan Lal Kataria, Ms.
Bharti said based on the scientific evidence the government had
initiated work of revival of the river.
“Mr. Modi,
when he was Chief Minister of Gujarat, had ordered work for the revival
of the river,” she said. He had “scientifically” released waters from
the Narmada into the “old, traditional route of the Saraswati.”
In such a small news clip, the term "scientific" has been used three times, there has been no detail of what this "scientific evidence" is. I assume that when they mention the word 'scientific' in this context, they imply archeological or geological or seismological. But considering the kind of respect that BJP types have for people's understanding and intelligence, it is no wonder that they feel no need to be so specific.
So instead of saying that they are attempting an exploration that looks more like a shot in the dark, they make vague references to scientific evidence. Using references and cryptic cues from the Vedas which is hardly reliable as a biographical source, history or record, is like chasing the tails of a mirage. Manufacturing a river using technology and boring holes along the Ravi-Beas-Sutlej route and bringing forth ground water is not exactly reviving a river. River is a living water body and I don't know if there is any way of reviving it after it has run its course and gone dry. One may find and trace geological evidence of a river bed or path, but the problem is how is it to be reasonably established that it is Saraswati only and a not a part of Ghaggar-Hakra River.
Indian government has had a very bad track record in archeology and excavations. Though it may be capable and component, the ASI has hardly distinguished itself in the recent decades. Excavations can be carried on without fanfare, pomp and prior announcements. After the trace or evidence of a river has been reasonably established, it can be proclaimed with proper and adequate evidential support and analysis. Instead of ASI or some other authoritative body or institution, politicians are driving this project. The BJP government has got this all exactly backwards!
The final piece and height of absurdity being that according to this foor-in-the-mouth minister, her Prime Minister as a CM of Gujarat had “scientifically” released waters from the Narmada into the “old, traditional and imaginary route of the Saraswati.
Whether they are good at science or honest about it or not, the BJP fraternity have very 'scientific' imaginations and delusions, about rivers, mountains and seas.
Ranganath,
ReplyDeleteRecently a friend of mine recommended I read this book The Lost River: On The Trail of Saraswati by Michel Danino. I have never heard of the guy. A quick Google search says that he is one of those Indophiles from France. That alone makes me skeptical of anything he has to say. Wondered if you have heard or read about this guy or this topic.
Capt.
ReplyDeleteMy short answer to this would be that it is not at all worth reading this book by Michel Danino. His ideological preferences and allegiances are very clear and put him squarely in the Hindu conservative camp. He writes for saffron publications most of the time.
I don't want to be accused of using the ploy of 'guilt by association', but it is not entirely unreasonable to suspect the credibility of someone who writes books about Aurobindo and Aurobindo's 'mother'. This definitely calls into question your commitment to a reasoned and practical worldview.
Thorough my initial fleeting searches, it was hard to come by any impartial review of MD's book. But a good place to start with could be negative user ratings of his work on Amazon books site.
My previous brush with this guy's work was his 'paper' on linguistics and philology in making out in my opinion, a convoluted case for OIT (Out of India) theory for the origins of Eurasian tribes that are part of the Aryan racial stock. That article was curiously published on archeologyonline.com (a 'sciency' sounding website that peddles stuff like Vaastu and astrology). One of my hindu leaning colleagues even waved that at me as a legit research website debunking standard and mainstream AIT theories, till the vaastu, astrology and NS Rajaram let the cat out of the bag.
It is hardly surprising that MD is lumped with Subash Kak, NSR and Konraad Elst. He sings the same tune of the golden glory of Indian antiquity with the usual dubious research and review methods that does not pass the muster of historical investigation.
Capt.
ReplyDeleteDigging further, I found this link that comes closest to questioning the claims of the likes of MD: http://robertlindsay.wordpress.com/2011/03/15/hindutva-crazies-on-the-dating-of-the-rig-vedas/
Unfortunately this blogger is not very civil to questioning of his opinions and positions and is very intolerant of positions that lend support to claims of pushing the chronology of Indian antiquity further behind.
But still he is very feisty (though deplorably very abusive and racist too) in responding to typical pro-antiquity positions from Hindu conservatives. Still the comment responses from him and his supporters are worth looking into.
The problem that gets entangled in ideological and cultural cross-hairs is not the existence of Sarasvati itself, but its connection and continuity with both IVC and Aryan timelines and its use as a weapon in the AIT/AMT vs OIT battle. Science, history and archeology references appear to be mere tools in a clear politically motivated project or mission of Hindu nationalists.
Thanks Ranganath. Appreciate it. My own searches did not return much. Google shows that people who search for him also search for Subash Kak, Francois Gautier, and Koenraad Elst. That made me extremely skeptical.
ReplyDeleteTo me the existence of a river in ancient times itself is not very interesting. Large river systems always change directions because of various reasons. But as you say tying this with idiotic Out of India theory makes it problematic.